white



(No Model.) B. T STARR. 2Sheets-Sheet 1.

Adjustable Spittoon and Table or Tray Holder.

No. 233,170. Patented Oct. 12, 1880.

W- L J W WITNESSES [.N' VENT!) R I .EZZ T 1% v '1 By his fltlqrneys @WMWW N-PETERS, FHOTO-LIYHQGRAPHER. WASHINGYON D C.

Adjustable Spi ttoon and Table or Tray Holder.

2 .ru 8 e h s s t e e h S 2 R R A T 8 m# E u d 0 M 0 W Patented Oct. 12', I880;

No;233J70.

' WI TNESSES By flttornez .s- W

@W W W -PEIERS. PHOY0-L|THOGRAPMEm WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE.

ELI T. STARR, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES W. WHITE, J. CLARENCE WHITE, AND HENRY M. LEWIS, (TRUSTEES UNDER THE WILL OF SAMUEL S. WHITE, DECEASED,) OF SAME PLACE.

ADJUSTABLE SPITTOO N AND TABLE OR TRAY HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 233,170, dated October 12, 1880.

Application filed May 10I 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELI T. STARR, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Spittoon and Table or Tray Holders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to spittoon and table or tray holders more especially designed for the use of dentists, and pertains to such holders of the class which are capable of adjustment in height and as to other positions, in order to accommodate the holder to the vary- 1 5 in g circumstances under which it is to be used.

The object of my invention is to provide a holder in which the spittoon and tray or table may each be adjusted with great ease and facility, not only as to altitude or height, but

as to horizontal positions relatively to the base or support of the holder, which is, in most instances, placed near the operating-chair, so that the table or tray will be within convenient reach of the operator while at work upon 2 5 the patient, and the spittoon convenient to the patient while seated in the chair.

My invention consists of certain new combinations of devices which are recited at the close of the specification.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my said new combinations as embodied and organized in the best way now known to me, Figure l is a view, in elevation, of my improved holder. Fig. 2 is a view, in section, on 3 5 the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, the view being properly a sectional plan of the parts shown. Fig. 3 is a view, in section, of a part of the jointed ring which encircles the neck of the spittoon to hold it. Fig. 4 is" a view from the front of the upper part of the device, showing an end view of the table-carrying rod, its friction' roller, &c. Fig. 5 is a vertical central section through the apparatus, showing the devices for raising, lowering, and supporting the plun- 5 ger or piston, the adjustment of which determines the height or altitude of the table or tray carried by it, as well as of the spittoon, should it not be adjusted independently upon the said plunger, of which adjustment it is capable.

A hollow cylinder, A, having a closed bottom, rises perpendicularly from abase or stand,

B, andis partially filled with a suitable liq uidfor example, oilthe top of the said fluid-cylinder being fitted for the reception of a cap or cover, (I, having a central opening, a, through which opening a tubular plunger or piston, C, is passed, and fitted so as to be movable freely vertically, or up and down, in the cylinder, while capable of turning axially therein.

The plunger 0, it will be observed, is of a diameter somewhat smaller than the internal diameter of the fluid-cylinder A, while the lower end of said plunger is provided with a packing-head, D, fitted so as to preserve a fluid-tight joint between the lower end of the plunger and the cylinder. This packing-head D not only preserves a tight joint between the plunger and cylinder, but serves to maintain the lower end of the plunger centrally of the cylinder, and supports it steadily and guides it truly in its movements up and down in said cylinder, the plunger being also guided and supported at the upper end of the cylinder by the elongated neck or extension a of the cap or cover a, before mentioned.

The plunger is adjusted vertically, or up and down, in the fluid-cylinder by the opening of a suitable valve, E, (a cone-valve in this instance,) fitted in the bottom of the plunger or packing-head, the passage closed by said valve constituting the only medium of communication between the fluid above and the fluid below the end of the plunger, whereby, when the valve is closed, all downward movement of the plunger is absolutely prevented, the fluid below the plunger constituting a cushion, which. as the fluid is practically non-elastic, supports the plunger firmlyin the altitude desired against any downward pressure.

The valve opens downwardly, it will be observed, so as to be automatically closed by the pressure or weight of the plunger and the parts carried thereby, to be presently explained; but in order to insure this automatic closing of 5 the valve I have surrounded the upwardly-extending shank c of said valve with-a coiled spring, F, which is compressed between a collar, c, on the upper end of said shank e and the annular shoulder f formed by the packingt are w:

head, whereby the tension or force of said spring is constantly exerted to close the valve and keep it closed.

In order to open the valve or force it from its seat, which is necessary in lowering the plunger, so as to permit the fluid to escape from beneath the plunger up into the bore of the plunger, and from thence through openings c in said plunger to the cylinder above the packing-head, I connect a rod, (l, at its lower end with the upper end of the valvestem and extend the said rod up through the hollow plunger, so that its end projects from the upper end of the plunger and receives a knob, g, by which to operate it.

It will thus he seen that the altitude of the plunger relatively to the fluid-cylinder A, in which it moves, is determined by the fluid column beneath the plunger, which is varied at pleasure by opening the valve and raising or lowering the plunger, the fluid being transferred from above to below the packing-head or end of the plunger, or vice versa, and affording a firm cushion and unyielding support for the plunger when the valve is closed.

I have found it desirable not to constitute the plunger the entire reservoir for the, fluid not in use, as the supporting medium, and hence utilize the space between the plunger and cylinder above the nicking-head as part of the fluidreservoir.

At the extreme upper end of the plunger is fitted a forked arm or stirrup-plate, II, which effectually closes the upper end of the plunger and prevents any accidental escape of the cushioning-fluid, a washer, I1, being inserted between the plunger and forked arm to insure a perfectly-tight joint. The val ve-rod extends up through a central opening in the base of the forked arm 11, and is guided and supported thereby, the actuating-knob g on the end of the rod lying in the fork or crotch of said forked arm or plate. The branches of said arm 11, at or near their upper ends, are slotted for the reception of a sliding or endwisc-niovable rod, 1, the movements of the rod through the slots, which constitutes the bearings of the rod, being rendered easy and noiseless by fric- (ion-rollers i i, suitably journaled one in each branch of the bar 1!, one of the rollers, i, being below and the other, i, above the rod I, to prevent binding of said rod in the slots in either direction above or below. The table or tray J, which is for the reception of the operating-instruments of the dentist, is pivoted to one end of the rod by a vertical pivot, so that the table maybe revolved orturned horizontally upon said rod, while the opposite end of the rod is fitted with a stop or projection, 'E, to limit the sliding or endwise movement of the rod in the forked supporting-arm, the pivot jof the tray J acting as a stop at the table end of the rod. The sliding capacity given to the rod I is for the purpose of enabling the table or tray to be extended more or less from the plunger which carries it. The plunger, having the capacity of turning axially in the cylinder, also permits free horizontal adjustment or turning movement of the table or tray at. right angles to the movementpermitted by the backward and forward adjustable rod.

A spittoon-earrying arm, K, is forked at one end, and each arm thereof is provided with a tubular end, fitting snugly the cylindrical plunger t, so as to support the arm and allow it to project horizontally therefrom, the said arm being capable of being freely turned around the plunger and adjustable vertically thereon. The arm K is maintained in its horizontal position without interfering with its turning capacity by means of a ring or annulus, Ii, titted between the branches of the said arm, which encircle the plunger, the said 'annnlus being clamped or secured to the plunger by a suitable device, (a set-screw, for example,) whereby, it will be obvious, the,arm may turn or move around the plunger, while it cannot slide downward thereon. By loosening the clamping device of the annulus L and moving it up or down with the arm K the vertical relation of said arm to theplunger and table carried thereby may be varied.

In order to lock the spittoon-carrying arm K against the horizontal turning movement around the plunger when desirable, l pivot to its lower branch or portion encircling the plunger a spring catch orlatch, k, which is adapted to engage one of a series of notches, a, formed in the cap a of the cylinder A, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5. When the arm is to be rotated about the plunger the catch is released by a pressure on a knob, k. The said arm K is curved, and at its outer end there is pivoted a jointed or two-part ring or holder, M, for the spittoon N. The two parts or sections of the jointed ring M are separated so that the neck of the spittoon maybe inserted between them, after which the separated ends of the ring are brought together to encircle closely the said neck of the spittoon and afford a firm support therefor, the ends of the ring being united by a suitable catch or device to prevent their accidental separation and escape of the spittoon.

Owing to the pivoting of the sectional ring M to the arm K, the said ring may be swung out so as to extend the spittoon a considerable distance from the plunger and give it a wide range of movement, while the said spittoon, when not in use, may be swung into the recess or bend in the arm, so as to be out of the way.

From what; has been said, it will be obvious that the table or tray for the operators instruments and the spittoon for the patient may be readily placed in the positions desired and adjusted to suit the varying conditions under which they are to be used.

The verticaladjustment of the table and spittoon simultaneously is accomplished by the mere pressure of the fingers upon the valveknob and lifting of the plunger by the same hand if it is to be raised, and the more opening of the valve if the plunger is to be lowercd, the plunger stopping the moment the valve is released, so that no auxiliary mechanism has to be operated after adjustment of the supporting-plunger to the required height. The capacity of the plunger to turn in the cylinder also permits horizontal adjustment of the parts, while the independent adjustments of the table-carrying rod and of the spittoon-carrying arm enable both the table or tray and the spittoon to be readily placed in any position desired relatively to the operating-chair.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the cylinder, the plunger, the forked arm at the upper end of said plunger, the valve, the valve-rod, the operatingknob of said valve-rod, and the table carried by a rod adjustable endwise in said forked arm of the plunger.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the cylinder, the plunger,

the spittoon-carrying arm fitted to move freely around the plunger in a horizontal direction and to slide vertically thereon, and a device to maintain said arm in its vertically-adjusted position upon the plunger.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the cylinder, the plunger, the spittoon-carrying arm fitted to said plunger so as to slide vertically and to turn horizontally relatively thereto, and the catch to lock said arm in its horizontally-adj usted position.

4. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the plunger, the curved spittoon-carrying arm fitted to said plunger so as to be capable of vertical and horizontal adjustment relatively thereto, and the sectional ring or holder for the spittoon jointed to the outer end of said arm, whereby a wide range of adjustment is attained, while the spittoon may be swung into the curve of the arm out of the way when not in use.

5. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore setforth, of the supporting-plunger, the spittoon-carrying arm fitted so as to be moved horizontally around said plunger, and the sectional two-part ring or holder for the spittoon jointed to said arm.

6. Thecombination of the base, the cylinder, the plunger, the valve arrangement of said plunger, the table carried by said plunger at its upper end, the spittoon-carrying arm fitted to slide vertically and turn horizontally upon said plunger above the upper end of the cylinder, and the device to maintain said arm in its vertically-adjusted position, said combination being and acting substantially as described, so that raising or lowering the plunger also raises or lowers the table and spittoon, while the spittoon may be adjusted independently upon the plunger relatively to said table.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ELI T. STARR.

Witnesses:

GEORGE P. MORGAN, WILLIAM H. GILBERT. 

